History

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has been providing critical food assistance to individuals and families in need since 1982, and is the only food bank serving Lake and Porter counties.

The idea for the Food Bank in Northwest Indiana was born in 1981 when two local United Way and Steel Worker representatives at a conference in Indianapolis learned about how a food bank could positively impact their community. They were so inspired that they brought the idea back home to the Region and, within a year, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana was established.

At first the Food Bank was only distributing salvaged food, but in 1989 the organization began obtaining food donations from food suppliers and retailers. This was also the year that the Food Bank’s Board of Directors were faced with the very real and very difficult decision of closing the doors for good due to poor economic conditions. The community recognized the negative effects this action would have and rallied together in protest and action. Thanks to generous financial support from Strack & Van Til’s and other community partners, the Food Bank was able to remain open and has been fighting hunger and feeding hope ever since.

THEN: The Food Bank’s 12,000 sf facility in Gary, out of which the organization distributed critical food assistance from 1992 to 2018.

The Food Bank acquires, stores, and distributes more than 4.5 million meals across Lake and Porter counties every year. Through its network of 100+ partner agencies, mobile food distributions, and direct service programs for seniors, adults, youth and families, the Food Bank gives provides and hunger relief to nearly 25,000 people each month.

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization and a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization and a powerful and efficient network of 200 food banks across the country. As food insecurity rates hold steady at the highest levels ever, the Feeding America network of food banks has risen to meet the need. To learn more about Feeding America, visit feedingamerica.org.

The following percentages and dollar amounts of the total costs which will be financed with federal money: TEFAP (30%, $3,160,483), CSFP (1%, $46,486), and SFSP/TANF (1%, $102,941) . The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program that will be financed by nongovernmental sources is 68%, $7,229,811.